I wrote you shortly before leaving Fort Moultrie & am much hurt at receiving no answer. Perhaps my letter has
not reached you & under that supposition I will recapitulate its contents. It was chiefly to sollicit [[sic]] your
interest in freeing me from the Army of the U. S. in which, (as Mr Lay’s letter from Lieut Howard informed you)
— I am at present a soldier. I begged that you would suspend any judgement you might be inclined to form, upon many untoward
circumstances, until you heard of me again — & begged you to give my dearest love to Ma & solicit her
not to let my wayward disposition wear away the affection she used to have for me. I mentioned that all that was necessary to obtain my
discharge from the army was your consent in a letter to Lieut J. Howard, who has heard of you by report, & the high character
given you by Mr Lay; this being all that I asked at your hands, I was hurt at your declining to answer my letter. Since
arriving at Fort Moultrie [page 2:] Lieut Howard has given me an introduction to Col: James House of
the 1rst Arty to whom I was before personally known only as a soldier of his regiment. He spoke kindly to me. told me that he
was personally acquainted with my Grandfather Genl Poe, with yourself & family, & reassured me of my
immediate discharge upon your consent. It must have been a matter of regret to me, that when those who were strangers took such deep
interest in my welfare, <that> you who called me your son should refuse me even the common civility of answering a letter.
If it is your wish to forget that I have been your son I am too proud to remind you of it again — I only beg you to remember
that you yourself cherished the cause of my leaving your family — Ambition. If it has not taken the channel you wished it, it
is not the less certain of its object. Richmond & the U. States were too narrow a sphere & the world shall be my theatre
—

As I observed in the letter which you have not received — (you would have answered it if you had) you believe
me degraded — but <th> do not believe it — There is that within my heart which has no connection with
degradation — I can walk among [page 3:] infection & be uncontaminated. There
never was any period of my life when my bosom swelled with a deeper satisfaction, of myself & (except in the injury which I may
have done to your feelings) — of my conduct — My father do not throw me aside as degraded[.] I will be an
honor to your name.

Give my best love to my Ma & to all friends —

If you determine to abandon me — here take [I my] farewell — Neglected — I will be doubly
[ambi]tious, & the world shall hear of the son whom you have thought unworthy of your notice. But if you let the love you bear
me, outweigh the offence which I have given — then write me my father, quickly. My desire is for the present to be freed from
the Army — Since I have been in it my character is one that will bear scrutiny & has merited the esteem of my officers
— but I have accomplished my own ends — & I wish to be gone — Write to Lieut Howard —
& to Col: House, desiring my discharge — & above all to myself.

This letter is printed here with permission from the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia. A photographic facsimile of this
letter was published in Mary Newton Stanard, Edgar Allan Poe Letters Till Now Unpublished in the Valentine Museum, Richmond,
Virginia, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1925.